Second conditional in English
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In this chapter you will learn about the second conditional in English. This conditional is used to express a hypothetical situation.
The second conditional refers to situation that is now or any time and is unreal. It is used to express a hypothetical condition and its possible result.
Situation | Example |
---|---|
To express a hypothetical situation |
|
To expose wishes or dreams |
|
To display warnings, advice or offer help |
|
In the second conditional, it is correct to use 'If I / he / she / it were' instead of 'If I / he / she / it was'.
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Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
If clause (condition) | Main clause (result) |
---|---|
If you went to bed earlier, | you would not be so tired. |
If she spoke Spanish, | she would be working in Spain. |
Other modal verbs, such as 'could' or 'might' can be used instead of 'would' in the second conditional tense. These modal verbs change the possibility and meaning of the sentence.
Examples:
Train your skills by doing the exercises below!
Fill in the missing tense for the second conditional in English.
Remember:
Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
Example 1:
Example 2:
If you to bed earlier, you would not be so tired. (to go)
If I more about computers, I could fix your laptop. (to know)
If I were taller, I not high heels. (to wear)
If you , you would hurt yourself. (to fall)
If we knew where they lived, we them. (to visit)
If she more money, she could go on holiday. (to have)
If he won the lottery, he a new house. (to buy)
If she didn't feel sick, she us going out. (to join)
If it an emergency, he would come immediately. (to be)
If he worked harder, he accepted into the team. (to be)
Fill in the missing tenses for the second conditional in English.
Remember:
Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
Example 1:
Example 2:
If I (to be) you, I (to tell) your mother the truth.
If you (to have) a boat, I (to go) to the lake with you every weekend.
You not (to be) so tired, if you (to go) to bed earlier.
If we (to have) more money, we (to go) on a holiday together.
If I (to be) you, I not (to go) by car to the party.
If he did not (to smoke) so much, he (to feel) better.
If she Italian, she (to talk) to them.
If I (to break) a glass, my mother (to be) very angry.
If we (to win) the jackpot, we (to buy) a big house.
She (to get) her diploma, if she (to pass) the exam.
Fill in the missing tenses to form the second conditional in English.
Remember:
Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
Example 1:
Example 2:
If she (to go) to bed earlier yesterday, she not (to be) so tired today.
If I (to be) you, I (to sell) your car.
If we (to steal) a piece of jewelry, the police (to punish) us.
I (to ask) my parents for more money, if I (to be) you.
If I not (to live) in Spain, I (to live) in Denmark.
If you (to work) a lot, you (to have) more money.
He (to get) less money from his parents, if he (to get) bad results.
I (to have) more time, if I (to stop) working.
She (to buy) a new car, if she (to win) the lottery.
If (to be) you, I not (to buy) that house.
Fill in the missing tense for the second conditional in English.
Remember:
Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
Example 1:
Example 2:
If you to bed earlier, you would not be so tired. (to go)
If I more about computers, I could fix your laptop. (to know)
If I were taller, I not high heels. (to wear)
If you , you would hurt yourself. (to fall)
If we knew where they lived, we them. (to visit)
If she more money, she could go on holiday. (to have)
If he won the lottery, he a new house. (to buy)
If she didn't feel sick, she us going out. (to join)
If it an emergency, he would come immediately. (to be)
If he worked harder, he accepted into the team. (to be)
Fill in the missing tenses for the second conditional in English.
Remember:
Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
Example 1:
Example 2:
If I (to be) you, I (to tell) your mother the truth.
If you (to have) a boat, I (to go) to the lake with you every weekend.
You not (to be) so tired, if you (to go) to bed earlier.
If we (to have) more money, we (to go) on a holiday together.
If I (to be) you, I not (to go) by car to the party.
If he did not (to smoke) so much, he (to feel) better.
If she Italian, she (to talk) to them.
If I (to break) a glass, my mother (to be) very angry.
If we (to win) the jackpot, we (to buy) a big house.
She (to get) her diploma, if she (to pass) the exam.
Fill in the missing tenses to form the second conditional in English.
Remember:
Structure: If + past simple + would + infinitive.
Example 1:
Example 2:
If she (to go) to bed earlier yesterday, she not (to be) so tired today.
If I (to be) you, I (to sell) your car.
If we (to steal) a piece of jewelry, the police (to punish) us.
I (to ask) my parents for more money, if I (to be) you.
If I not (to live) in Spain, I (to live) in Denmark.
If you (to work) a lot, you (to have) more money.
He (to get) less money from his parents, if he (to get) bad results.
I (to have) more time, if I (to stop) working.
She (to buy) a new car, if she (to win) the lottery.
If (to be) you, I not (to buy) that house.
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Laurie has been working since 2016. She teaches French from the levels A1 until C1. Her learning materials are very interactive, games, quizzes, videos etc. You will surely learn a lot from her!
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Hello! I am a CELTA-qualified native English teacher offering lessons carefully tailored to your needs. Learn by dynamic conversation exchange, written pieces, songs lyrics, podcasts, and fun and challenging exercises.
I have a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and have been rock climbing for about 25 years. As an Italian language learner myself, I believe that talking about your passions is one of the most effective ways of mastering a new language. I look forward to hearing about your interests!
I offer a free 15-minute meeting to discuss your personal goals for learning. Let’s work together to bring you closer to those English language goals!
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Melissa is a teacher with great empathy. She clearly enjoys teaching English and does this in a very professional manner.
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Hello everyone I am SAKI. I’m from Hyogo prefecture. I have been teaching Japanese in Italy.
Everyone who loves Japan, everyone who loves anime, everyone who loves Japanese TV series and everyone who loves Japanese food, I would like to share your loves!!
Let's speak Japanese together.
I have taught Japanese for 5 years in class and online.
・Conversation
・Chinese characters, Hiragana, Katakana
・grammar and business conversation
・About culture
Feel free to ask me questions!
✳︎favourites✳︎
・watching Miyazaki movies, reading books and manga
・I am a big fan of traveling and eating local foods
・I often go to Corse island for holiday. One of my favorite places! The sun, crystal clear water and delicious food.
・I like sports (especially volley ball and base ball!!)
I am looking forward to having a conversation with you!
Thank you
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Saki san explains very well. I enjoy the lessons very much. Its very good that we always start the lesson with repeating the previous lesson - it makes it easier for me to remember.
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Hi everyone!
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With a previously planning of the class. This means choosing the activies, the topics or exercices to work during the class. They could be a video, a text or exercices of gramatica among others. Alongside we use, of course, a book: Aula Internacional. I share all the material via GoogleDrive.
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Greetings and a big hug dear future students,
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**** Please contact me before booking a lesson, thanks! :-)*** Hello everyone, I'm Federica and I'm an italian and english teacher. Before being a teacher I've been a student infact I graduated in languages so I know very well how hard can be learning a new language. I'm interested in music, cinema, literature and I enjoy talking about several topics. I've been teaching since 2009 and in 2012 I've qualified as italian language teacher. I've experience with children and adults, with in company courses, with total beginners as well as with advanced. Also I've succesfully prepared a number of students for the most important english and italian certification (CELI, CILS, FIRST, PET, KET). Over the last years I've became specialized in one-to-one or small groups lessons because in this way I can create a tailored programme for each student. I follow a communicative approach and in my classes there's lot of room for speaking but I don't neglect grammar, listening and writing. I provide you with material, sometimes selfmade, other times taken from books, videos, or songs, but always useful to help you to immerse in the target language! At the end of every lesson I always assign homework in order to revise the things learnt. I define myself as a happy, positive and very patient person and I do my best to make the class a funny and relaxed moment. I look forward to meet you online!
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After a year of classes with Federica, I can only say that she is an excellent teacher, I am very satisfied with my progress
Federica C.
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Thanks a lot! It's amazing how much progress you've made with English in one year! Keep going like this!
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Olesya is an enthusiastic new teacher. She has lots of learning materials, and she teaches interactive classes. She is very patient and will certainly help you learn Russian in a fun manner!
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Hello! I am a CELTA-qualified native English teacher offering lessons carefully tailored to your needs. Learn by dynamic conversation exchange, written pieces, songs lyrics, podcasts, and fun and challenging exercises.
I have a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and have been rock climbing for about 25 years. As an Italian language learner myself, I believe that talking about your passions is one of the most effective ways of mastering a new language. I look forward to hearing about your interests!
I offer a free 15-minute meeting to discuss your personal goals for learning. Let’s work together to bring you closer to those English language goals!
-Parlo italiano-
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Melissa is a teacher with great empathy. She clearly enjoys teaching English and does this in a very professional manner.
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Hello everyone I am SAKI. I’m from Hyogo prefecture. I have been teaching Japanese in Italy.
Everyone who loves Japan, everyone who loves anime, everyone who loves Japanese TV series and everyone who loves Japanese food, I would like to share your loves!!
Let's speak Japanese together.
I have taught Japanese for 5 years in class and online.
・Conversation
・Chinese characters, Hiragana, Katakana
・grammar and business conversation
・About culture
Feel free to ask me questions!
✳︎favourites✳︎
・watching Miyazaki movies, reading books and manga
・I am a big fan of traveling and eating local foods
・I often go to Corse island for holiday. One of my favorite places! The sun, crystal clear water and delicious food.
・I like sports (especially volley ball and base ball!!)
I am looking forward to having a conversation with you!
Thank you
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Saki san explains very well. I enjoy the lessons very much. Its very good that we always start the lesson with repeating the previous lesson - it makes it easier for me to remember.
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